(1) Field of the combination invention
A three-position, especially an electric line cord mounting type, switching means having a half-wave diode rectifier which is shuntingly electrically connected to two of the three electrical contacts of the switching means for providing a electrical "off", half-wave rectified "dim" and a full-wave "on" or an electrical "off", full-wave "on" and a half-wave rectified "dim" illumination to at least one electric incandescent lamp means when a person manually actuates a switch actuation exposed member portion thereof for at least switching the switch into its half-wave rectified "dim" position for at least saving money; extending the life of incandescent lamps especially when used with a photoelectric means and/or an electric lamp timer means so that at least a house will not be as easily burglarized and the like.
The electrical "off", half-wave "dim" and full-wave "on" switching sequence is preferred.
(2) Description of some of the prior art
Prior art electrical "on" and "off" miniaturized, for example, 2-position electrical conductor line cord switching means are well known by persons skilled in the art and are a commonly used household item which is basically electrically connected in a twin or parallel electric conductor wire that runs from a double-pronged male plug to an electric lamp fixture and the like. The miniaturized line cord switches, for example, are of the light duty type as, for example, a LEVITON "KWIK WIRE" miniature feed-thru cord switch of the line piercing type, that is sold under a stock number of 5669 by Sears, Roebuck, and Co. Other prior art two-position "on" and "off" line cord or line piercing type are J. M. LAPEYERE U.S. Pat. No. 2,802,083 which issued on Aug. 6, 1957 and Charles E. Gilbert U.S. Pat. No. 2,723,327 which issued Nov. 8, 1955 and even a rotary, push-button electric cord 4-position switching device was invented by F. D. Bryant et al on Mar. 26, 1940 being U.S. Pat. No. 2,195,237. A very old prior art which does not relate to a 2-position "off" and "on" switching line cord means, but will generally show how old the line cord, rheostat heat creating and electric energy wasting, dimming art is, is that of F. Emberger U.S. Pat. No. 1,273,754 which issued on July 23, 1918. Even a, 2-position "on" and "off", rocker type of line cord piercing switch was patented by Luis Ludwig on Sept. 5, 1972 being U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,723, but was totally silent and even a three-way switch having four positions which is used with a two filament lamp for providing an "off", "low", medium and high illumination to the three-way lamp was issued to F. D. Bryant et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,195,237 on Mar. 26, 1940 was also silent and even the lever actuated cord switch of J. G. Peterson U.S. Pat. No. 2,236,763 which issued on Apr. 1, 1941 as are all the disclosed prior art having any half-wave diode rectifying means, especially a silicon type, for saving electric energy, preventing some burglarizing by additional use of an electric utility timer and the like disclosed in the following objects of this invention and as to having only three lobes or cammed switching portions for providing a three-position switch thereby.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,723 discloses therein and thereby it need not be repeated in this specification as to the popularity and the after market "(in the home)" installation of line cord switches as well as prior art disadvantages and the like in column 1 and 2, and accordingly also relates to the disclosed Gilbert U.S. Pat. No. 2,723,327 therein.